MPA NEWS IN ENGLISH (16/07/1996)

From: Macedonian Press Agency <mpa@philippos.mpa.gr>

Macedonian Press Agency News in English Directory

MACEDONIAN PRESS AGENCY NEWS IN ENGLISH

Thessaloniki, July 16, 1996

NEWS IN ENGLISH

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[C] EUROPEAN NEWS

[D] SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

TITLES

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[C] EUROPEAN NEWS

[D] SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

NEWS IN DETAIL

[A] NATIONAL NEWS

[01] GOVERNMENT PLEASED WITH EU MINISTERIAL COUNCIL'S DECISION ON MEDA

The Greek government is satisfied by the statement issued yesterday from the European Union Ministerial Council regarding the MEDA program that provides aid to 12 non-EU Mediterranean countries, including Turkey.

According to Preess and Media Minister Dimitris Reppas, the decision should be viewed as a "Community achievement and added that from now on, relations between Greece and Turkey will be built upon Turkey's european potential".

Mr. Reppas also added that this is the first time that understanding of the greek positions is expressed in this manner and stated that the adoptation of these positions constitutes a sgnificant success for Greece.

When asked if Greece's veto over the customs union between Turkey-EU will stand, Mr. Reppas stated that the government is resistant to taking a position on the matter considering that new issues may arise.

During yesterday's EU Ministerial Council held in Brussels, Greece lifted its veto over the MEDA financing program after the EU General Affairs Council expressed its solidarity to Greece in a written statement in which it asked Ankara to respect international laws and to avoid any act -or threat- of use of force.

The statement released by the Council also pointed out the EU's intense concern over the situation that arose after the turkish claims over the Imia islets, in east Aegean Sea and expressed the EU's solidarity towards a member-state, i.e. Greece.

Also, the Council's statement reminded Turkey that its relations with the EU are based on a clear commitment to the principle of respecting international laws and accords, as well as upholding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of EU member- states.

The Ministerial Council's decision will be presented tomorrow to Turkey's Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller who will be asked to respond to the statement if she accepts it.

No MEDA funding will be issued to Turkey prior to September 15 and the financial aid will take place only after Ankara responds to the Irish-held EU Presidency with a statement that Turkey accepts the conditions set forth by tthe statement.

[02] OPPOSITION SCEPTICAL, CRITICAL OF GOVERNMENT'S HANDLING OF MEDA

New Democracy, the country's main opposition party, has adopted a guarded stance following yesterday's outcome at the EU Ministerial Council where Greece lifted its veto over the MEDA financing program after the EU General Affairs Council expressed its solidarity to Greece in a written statement in which it asked Ankara to respect international laws and to avoid any act -or threat- of use of force.

New Democracy leader Miltiades Evert awaits to see a response from Ankara prior to taking a position on the mater, although the party's spokesperson Prokopis Pavlopoulos stated that New Democracy will not comment on the proposal set forth by the Ministerial Council that Turkey must commit itself.

Minor party Political Spring leader Antonis Samaras stated that the decision issued by the EU's "15" is merely a front for the government's concession on the issue of the veto over Turkey's funding.

Mr. Samaras stated that the EU allies "forced Greece to side with them in rewarding Turkish aggression and intransigence" and accused the EU of legitimising Turkey's demand of an all-talks dialogue with Greece regarding Greek sovereingty.

[03] EU VETERINARIANS IN ALEXANDROUPOLIS, TAKE SAMPLES OF ANIMAL DISEASE

A team of European Union Standard Agricultural Committee veterinarians are in northeastern Greece today, performing sample checks on animals stricken by the foot and mouth disease.

The checks will focus in the villages of Makri and Dikela while the whole prefectures of Rodopi and Evros have been placed in quarantine.

Greek Undersecretary of Agriculture Dimitris Fotiades is awaiting with optimism the imminent results of the EU veterinarians' reports.

Prior to the inspections, Mr. Fotiades, accompanied by Evros Perfect George Dolios, met with two EU veterinarians this morning who were briefed on the current status of the situation by the Prefect's Veterinary Administration supervisor Angelos Boglou.

Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency, Mr. Fotiades and Mr. Dolios expressed their hope that the EU representatives will be convinced by the strictness of measures applied for the containment of the disease.

"Our target is that they (EU) will continue the imposed quarantine only to the Evros Prefect," the undersecretary said. "The measures we took where preventine and were especially strict, more so that the ones suggested by the EU, they could even be characterized as excessive," he stated.

The EU report will be submitted to the EU Standard Agricultural Committee which will convene on Friday. Depending on the report, the EU will decide either to extend the applied restricting measures or to lift them.

[04] US PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO UN MEETS WITH ARSENIS, EVERT

The United States permanent representative to the United Nations Madleine Albright will meet with Defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis and the leader of Greece's main opposition party New Democracy President Miltiades Evert this evening in Athens.

Ms. Albright will discuss the Cyprus problem with Mmr. Arsenis and Evert and will be briefed on greco-turkish relations.

She is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos tomorrow.

Ms. Albright will be accompanied by the US special emissary for Cyprus Richard Beatty.

Minister of Press and Media Dimitris Reppas, responding to a question regarding the proposal that Turkish military forces be removed from Cyprus and be replaced by a multi-national force, stated that it is a suggestion that has been presented at various times and added that "we are against de-militarization and are open to any proposal which will aid in finding a solution to the problem."

On Thursday, the US ambassador will travel to Nicosia in order to examine the "effectiveness of the UN peacekeeping mission in Cyprus" and discuss potential opportunities for a comprehensive agreement.

Following Nicosia, Ms. Albright will travel to Ankara on July 18 and 19 where she will meet with officials of the newly-formed Turkish government and, aside from bilateral issues, she will discuss Cyprus and Iraq.

[05] DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY CRACKS DOWN ON SUMMERTIME RIP-OFFS

Remember when you were really thirsty and paid 400 drachmas for a mere bottle of water that normally retails for 100?

Well, no more rip offs, as the Development Ministry plans to introduce suggested retail prices on certain mass consumption goods during the summer season, a method applied by most other European countries, in order to put an end to audacious profiteering during tourist season.

According to Michalis Chrysochoides, development undersecretary responsible for trade, the government has held talks with industry representatives after looking into introducing suggested retail prices for bottled water, juices and beverages and the measure has already been endorsed by the Greek Commission on Competition.

[06] GREECE TO PARTICIPATE IN MILITARY EXERCISE, WILL BE HELD IN BULGARIA

A multi-national military exercise titled "Bridge '96" will be held in the Black Sea by the Bulgarian Naval Forces on August 10-16, with the participation of Greece, Russia, the Ukraine, Romania, Turkey, Italy and the United States.

The exercise, which falls within the auspices of NATO's initiative "Partnership for Peace" aims at establishing trust and stability in the Black Sea region and will be performed under the supervision of Bulgaria's Naval Chief Christo Kontrov.

[B] INTERNATIONAL NEWS

[07] SKOPJE AS FYROM IN "PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE" EXERCISE

Albeit not its initial name choice, Skopje is participating as FYROM in the "Eagle of Peace '96" exercise, which is held in Albania's Biza region, under the auspices of NATO's "Partnership for Peace" initiative.

According to Skopje state-owned radio, "the country initially had been addressed by its constitutional name" but in turn this was crossed out and the name FYROM was handwriten in its place.

Participating in the exercise are three NATO-member countries, Greece, Turkey and the US, and five Balkan region countries, Bulgaria, Albania, FYROM (for the first time), Romania and Slovenia.

The next exercise to be held will take place on FYROM's grounds.

Earlier this month FYROM had abstained from the Balkan Foreign Ministers Summit held in Bulgaria, because Sofia had invited the country to participate by the name FYROM.

Moreover, the news agency MILS, re-printed reports from the Greek media according to which there is a juxtaposition noted between FYROM President Kiro Gligorov and Foreign Minister Ljubomir Frtcshkovski as the later supports that the country maintain its intransigence over the name issue.

[C] EUROPEAN NEWS

[08] THE EUROPEAN UNION APPOINTS NEW ENVOY TO MOSTAR

A new envoy to the divided Bosnian city of Mostar appointed to Mostar the European Union, EU diplomats said.

European Union foreign ministers appointed Sir Martin Garrod, to replace Ricardo Perez Casado as EU administrator in Mostar.

Mr Cassado had recently replaced German Hans Koesnik while greek ambassador mr Constanmtinos Zeppos remains as the obudsman of the city since the european administration started.

meanwhile, according to information from Brussels the European Union foreign ministers sought to find a way to force Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic out of political life.

Nevertheless, according to the same sources the European Union does not want to jeopardise elections due to be held in mid- September.

[09] EU TO POLICE EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS MARKET

Its plans to step up the efforts to police Europe's telecommunications markets in order to ensure that the traditional phone monopolies are loosening their grip announced the European Commission.

Meanwhile,Competition Commissioner Karel Van Miert said that the European Union's efforts to create a pan-European telecommunications market could suffer if it does not find new mechanisms for making joint decisions.

[10] EUROPEAN COMMITTEE TO INTRODUCE CALF SLAUGHTER PROGRAMME

The opinion that a calf slaughter programme and the introduction of intervention for store cattle are essential if the EU is to reduce surplus beef productio expressed Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler.

According to trade sources, a compulsory calf slaughter programme to take around 858,000 animals a year out of EU beef production will be put to the Commission.

[11] COMMISSIONER PAPOUTSIS ON NATURAL GAS NEGOTIATIONS

The Commission is ready to consult all parties concerned - governments, industry, consumers and employees - before the negotiations on the natural gas internal market start in the Council next autumn said Energy Commissioner Christos Papoutsis at today's meeting of the Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy (CERT) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Mr Papoutsis stressed that the European Committe will try to have the opinions of all interested parties in order to form the best possible view on the situation and achieve a valid and credible compromise on the politicaly sensitive and economic important issue of the natural gas internal market.

[D] SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

[12] MOSTAR ELECTIONS: TOUGH FEAT TO ACCOMPLISH, BUT A SUCCESSFUL ONE, SAYS GREEK OMBUDSMAN OF MOSTAR AMBASSADOR ZEPPOS

Mostar's elections were a hard feat to accomplish, but at least they served as a successful run-through of the upcoming September's elections in Bosnia, according to the Greek ombudsman in Mostar, Ambassador Konstantinos Zeppos.

Speaking to the Macedonian Press Agency, Mr. Zeppos emphasized that the principles of democracy were enforced properly during the recently-held elections, most notably among the people who gathered en masse to cast their vote, and added that only through such election procedures, i.e. democracy, can this war- torn region come to life again.

What was seen in Mostar was a system quite properly run, with distinguished locals who undertook the task of supervising the ballots, said Mr. Zeppos adding that for Bosnia-Herzegovina the one-party system is merely coming to its last straw now, as opposed to the other countries of central and eastern Europe which abandoned that system in 1989.

The Greek official stated that he was pleased to see the easing of tension in town, and pointed out that "the elections procedure was "an opportunity for the people to enter a political rhythm of peaceful competition" and that "a miracle was witnessed during election day where NATO peacekeeping forces were present along with hundreds of policemen from various european countries, among them ten Greeks, who maintained the order and provided a climate of security which encouraged the locals, dressed in their best, just as we do, to cross over the old, separation lines so that they could go and vote in their old neighborhood."

"This was an achievement accomplished by the European Union with the cooperation of the political parties of the Croats, Bosnians and the few Serbs who remained in the city, Mr. Zeppos added, noting that there is now a climate of euphoria, peace and acquiescence.

Referring to the criticism he received from the croatian side because he approved the elections outcome in spite of the fact that in Bonn's voting center there were 26 votes in excess of those registered, Mr. Zeppos stated that these votes could have served as premise to anull the elections -if they were attributed to a mistake during the voter registration process- only if they could greatly affect the final outcome.

The Mostar ombudsman, who serves as a judiciary official, pointed out that he acted according to his conscience and assessed the outcomes based on the two mandates issued by Mostar's european administrative officer during the beginning of the year and which mandates were issued following a consensus among the local authorities and the local election law.

Mr. Zeppos called upon the croatian side to cooperate and respect the legislative conditions set forth for elections, which it had accepted prior to the election, and concluded that if there is a truce reached and people feel secure there, with the appropriate encouragement, they can bring back to life the values and principles that were lost during the four-year war.

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